Author Interview: Joseph Phillips

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All-In-One CAPM/PMP Project Management Exam Guide by Joseph Phillips, McGraw-Hill, 2007 View a sample chapter (PDF) Buy it now

Project management is a skill set that has stood the test of time and continues to be in strong demand and worth a good paycheck, thus the popularity of the Project Management Institute's (PMI) Project Management Professional certification. The PMP certification and its associate designation, Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) are not actually specific to IT but rather cover project management as a discipline that can apply to just about any professional field. According to PayScale.com, the median salary for a Project Management Professional certification holder is $87,464 a year (see chart below).

This is not an easy certification to earn, and there are significant experience requirements which CompTIA's Project+ certification does not have. Nonetheless, currently the PMP is at the top of the heap of project management certifications, inside IT and out. That's why author Joseph Phillips, who holds the coveted PMP as well as CompTIA's Project+, recently wrote a study guide for the PMP and CAPM exams, a book that also serves as a desktop reference for project managers. Recently he took time out of his busy schedule to share some of his expertise on these certifications, as well as to describe what exactly his book has to offer certification candidates.

GoCertify: Why would a person want to become certified in Project Management? Is its importance increasing?

Joseph Phillips: A certification in project management is like a certification in any other arena: it can help differentiate the individual from the pack. There are two prominent project management certifications in the US right now: CompTIA’s Project+ Professional certification and the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Professional certification. CompTIA’s Project+ is ideal for seasoned project managers on their way to the PMP or for aspiring project managers with limited project management experience. It’s not an easy exam, but there aren’t really any qualifiers to take the Project+ certification so it’s sometimes easily dismissed. The PMP, however, is the more elite certification that requires PMP candidates to qualify to take the examination through their education and experience. It’s an exhausting process and this exam is fairly difficult. A PMP certification is a clear signal to HR professionals that the certification is backed by verifiable experience and education.

GoCertify: Which are the most complex/difficult topics covered in the PMP exam?

Joseph Phillips: Because the PMP is based on experience and the PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) the answer to this question will vary from person-to-person. I’ve been teaching project management and PMP certification courses over the past several years and the toughest topic is usually procurement. I think this is because most project managers, at least the ones I meet, don’t manage procurement at all in their day-to-day management duties. Procurement is often handled through a centralized procurement office or a purchasing agent so that makes the concepts and processes on these exam topics especially tricky for most project managers.

Median Salary by Job - Certification: Project Management Professional (PMP) (United States)

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GoCertify: Will you explain the difference between the PMP and the CAPM?

Joseph Phillips: The Certified Associates in Project Management is somewhat of an entry-level certification, while the PMP is for project managers with at least 4500 hours leading project management tasks. The PMP is definitely the pinnacle of project management certifications right now.

GoCertify: How does the CAPM differ from Project+ and should an IT pro earn Project+ first?

Joseph Phillips: Both of these certifications are seen as validation that the certified professional has experience, albeit often limited, in the project management arena. The primary difference is that the PMI CAPM exam requires the candidate to qualify for the exam based on years of experience and education, while the Project+ exam has no real qualifiers to take their exam. This isn’t to say that either exam is easy – they aren’t. I often encourage people that are curious about earning a project management certification to pursue the Project+ exam simply because there’s less paperwork and I view it to be as difficult as the CAPM certification.

GoCertify: Are the CAPM and PMP exams specific to IT project management?

Joseph Phillips: I think the CompTIA Project+ certification still has echoes of its former life as IT Project+ - though CompTIA says it’s a project management certification. PMI certifications are not specific to any discipline. I’ve had people in my PMP Boot Camps from IT, healthcare, banking, construction, and manufacturing – all in the same seminar. However, the overwhelming audience in my PMP Boot Camps is IT people. IT pros seem to get the whole certification business easier than any other discipline. That may be thanks to Microsoft, CompTIA, and Cisco or it could just be something in their personality. I also see the boom in this audience as a clear indication that IT isn’t necessarily driving business anymore – projects are.

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